SCOTT McDONALD'S inability to adapt to Australia's
single-striker strategy has cost him his place in the Socceroos
squad for the World Cup.

McDonald, defender Jade North and creative midfielder Nick Carle
were the three players pruned from the squad ahead of its departure
today for South Africa.

The omissions of North and Carle did not shock as neither got on
to the pitch for Monday's friendly against New Zealand, but that of
McDonald was more notable because he started the match up
front.

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek said the first two were cut because
they faced ''too much competition'' for their positions. He denied
McDonald, a prolific goal scorer in Britain but still scoreless for
his country, was cut because he directed a great chance on Monday
night straight at All Whites keeper Mark Paston.

''It's not about five seconds [of play], it's about 90
minutes,'' Verbeek said. ''And it's about other possibilities that
I have. I don't take Dario Vidosic because he scores a goal,
because that's [just] five seconds in a game. I know 'Scotty Mac'
has scored goals, but … he scores goals in the English way of
football, which we don't play.''

Verbeek said Josh Kennedy, Nikita Rukavytsya, Harry Kewell and
Tim Cahill and possibly even fringe attacking midfielder Richard
Garcia were ahead of McDonald in his pecking order for
attackers.

''Scotty is a typical two-striker player … but we don't
play with two strikers. We play with one striker on top and with
typical wingers [supporting], so Scotty doesn't fit in this system.
He knows it, he tried everything [to adapt].

''He has never been working harder than he has now, I've never
seen him fitter than he is now … so he can't blame himself.
He can just blame me.''

Verbeek commended all three players for the way they handled the
news of their axings at lunch yesterday. ''I have a lot of respect
for the way those three players handled the message, not [just]
towards me because I'm not so important but more towards their
[teammates].

''We all know how difficult it is if you hear one day before the
rest is leaving that you're not in the biggest tournament in the
world, and that's what you were fighting for for years and
years.''

Dutch-based midfielders Tommy Oar, 18, and James Holland, 21,
have been told their only chance of making the final 23-man squad
are through injuries to teammates but will stay in South Africa,
along with the other three players to be cut, for the Socceroos'
World Cup campaign. Verbeek said this was to ensure training
standards did not slip if players had to be rested between
matches.

Verbeek said Kewell, still on a modified training program while
recovering from a nagging groin injury, would be the only player
not able to take part in ''full training sessions from the first
second to the finish'' once the squad reached South Africa.

''Harry is … almost 100 per cent. We expect him very soon
to be training with the rest of the team. His progression is as
planned, going perfect.''

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